Hou aan lê! Hou aan lê!
Dalk slaan die nag jou oor.
Hou aan lê! Hou aan lê!
Dit raak koud hier in die Kaap.
Ek lê, ek lê, ek lê al lank—
Ek wag, ek slaap, ek smoor en kraak.
Hou vir hou, ek lê, ek lê.
Dis so koud hier in die Kaap.
Ons wag vir jou! Ons wag vir jou!
Ons smeek, ons skraap!
Ons hande draai, ons polse knak,
Ons lê vir jou en wag
Hier in die koue Kaap...
Translation:
Stay down! Stay down!
Perhaps the night will pass you by.
Stay down! Stay down!
It’s getting cold here in the Cape.
I’m prone, I’m prone, so long have I been prone—
I wait, slumbering, choking, cracking.
Blow by blow, I’m prone, I’m prone.
It’s so cold here in the Cape.
We wait for you! Awaiting you!
Begging, we grovel!
Ours hands turn, our wrists snap,
We wait for you here on the ground
Here in the frigid Cape...